On drums...

I honestly have no idea how you guys are defining "dry". That is the very last word I would use to describe SClass Pros.
My Designers are dryer. So were my Q's.

This means war
ha
I found Delites to be very dry with less of everything. Hilites resonate and are warm but it's such a mediocre warm. Made me go "huh?" It just wasn't a "musical warm", musical kit.

The earlier SClass kits I found to be dry, significantly less resonance, no warmth to them or seriously lacking it. I believed the cause was they were before all the new isolation mounts. Including the bass drum claws on the hoops which seriously "tightens" up the sound of the kick without insulation. Hope I never have to go back to bare claws.
And I hated the kick hoops. I forgot what those were made out of but I always thought it just looked like the wood delivery didn't come in.
I find the "thin shelled SClass Pros" the perfect thickness. I just don't see them as thin at all. Especially not in a "too thin" text like the Delites. Hell..Designer Maple light kicks are just .8mm thicker. And the toms are just 1.7 thicker.

It's just follows what you're after I guess. I have found SClass Pro to be exactly what I am after. I just don't see how you are calling them dry.

Okay...I see Jeff prefers thick beech. No, SClass Pros and thick beech have nothing in common. Now I would view "thick beech" as being dry. ha

Don't get me wrong Kelly - it could have been the drummer or the room... In a rock/alternative/distortion environment, with heads that weren't changed in 2 years, they sounded dry...

I had a chance to test the Delites myself... And in comparison with the Hilites, they seriously lacked tone and attack - like You said "less of everything"...

Sound is a very intimate category. Take me for example - I adored the first generation S Class snare I had. BUT, I knew I couldn't use it in every occasion, like I do with the D-505...

So, the bottom line is - an S CLASS IS A FANTASTIC SET (and a VERY underestimated one). Just like the Force3000 set, or Force maple. When SONOR moved the production in China, it sealed the resell value of these fantastic drum sets...



Now - can we see pictures please?!?

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Goki - short from Goran

Let the good drums roll!!!

A warm snare in one kit, or in one room, or in one musical situation, may seem dry in another situation. This stuff is tough to talk about, getting more difficult as the variables increase in number. I'd be willing to state that my Sig 8 deep bubinga snare was a good deal drier than my 8 deep Designer maple light, but that's about as far as I'm committing.

Ah! See that Goki already posted more or less the same thing...

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Gregory

I apologize for not commenting on the snares Goki. THEY are terrific. The 1st gen SClass and the Force snares.
The Sonic snares were real sleepers also.
The SClass Pro snares on the other hand are pretty weak. Had they upped the anti on the snares in that line I would have been in drum heaven. A seriously low level snare came with the Pro kits.

I apologize again though...I didn't think much of the Force kits either. To put things in perspective, I had already been on way too many newer kits when I owned them. Without that, I probably would have thought nothing was missing.

I say this as humbly as I can....I believe YOUR drum world is about to change. As soon as you bond with those Classix.

Greg....it's a confirmation that your 8" Sig heavy beech was drier than your Maple light. The thicker the shell, the less resonant it becomes. Which I translate into "drier".


Gok...I'm waiting for my friend to get the rest of his stuff out of my basement to do anything like pictures or video.


To put it into even better perspective Goki. I've heard your stuff. You are an incredible drummer. Can't see anything not working for you brother.

Maybe 'Dry' wasn't the right way to explain it.
Hows this............Thin,pokey,lacking body and presence and kinda brittle to play. But they still have this sustain 'like' thing almost happening, its just not warm and sweet, or pleasant at all. .
And hanging 14's are permanently choked . .
Sorry Kel, just not my bag.


Perhaps its just 'cos I'm a bit of a hack , but I really prefer the full warm attack of thicker shells, love my SClassix, but possibly the least suitable out of all my kits, for what I want. Its not the Birch, but more shell thickness, I did love my old First Gen Sonic Plus' sound, great Rock kit. Maybe the softer/thicker attack helps cover up how rough I play .

Cheers

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Jeff
Gots ta luv da Beech
Australia

Completely understand Jeff. No apologies. I really don't get offended about my drums.
And I suppose that description works from a thick shelled guy. Nothing wrong with that.
And I'm sure you're not a hack. I used Sig drums for years, my playing was okay. The problem was I got old and it took way to much juice to get them to sing.

Kel, I know that sounded like I'm a complete Smart&55.. ,Long Day, Sorry .

I didn't mention that the SClass pros were very musical, almost specific sounding drums. Hard to put into words their greatest attributes, possibly there cutting, yet Maple (warmish) attack, great for intricate dynamics/stick definition, but, Horses for Courses .
I sold them for years, but I never owned one. I'm sure you are way more intimate with them than I am, so my judgements are based on messing with stock kits over a period of 3-4yrs, but just generally setting them up, givin' 'em a tune, and out the door.

PS/ I'm nearly 38, not that far behind you Bro . I think its the 80's Phonic/Phonic Plus sound I like. Which is kinda dry, but full and warm, and sorta soft, blending rather than cutting.
I'm playing Blues Hard Rock, influenced by anything from Chuck Berry to AC/DC. And thats what works for me. But as for what works for you, I want to see another video, I haven't seen one for ages, was it a 5star kit, can't remember Bring it on

Cheers

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Jeff
Gots ta luv da Beech
Australia

Thought your post was sincere. I saw no offense. All good brother.

Phonic plus' are THEE bomb. One of the greatest most distinct drum voices ever.

Actually the last video was a crappy Designer video ha. I liked it alot better than the 5 star noisey one. I like to watch them as bad as they sound. I like the "raw" about them. Kinda over "over the top" recordings. Dam things all sound the same to me though I enjoy the different talents behind them.

There is no better kit than Phonics Plus for playing 60s and 70s rock live and loud and unmiked in smaller venues. But what do you mean by "... most distinct drum voice ever"? I'd agree that they don't sound like other 70s or 80s drums. Well, they do sound a lot like Signatures but with a stronger bass drum, but certainly nothing like Designer or Classix (to stay in the Sonor envelop). But since Designer and Classix are quite distinct from each other, how then the epithet? I would agree that in the 70s and 80s, they were the most focussed and driest drums I'd ever heard or played.

When coming off a quarter century Phonics Plus/Signature habit, I borrowed a Gretsch Custom kit for a rehearsal. The thing scared me to death, and I played with O-Rings to tame the beast. Now that I have been playing Classix/Designers for almost three years, I'm sure the Gretsch would feel just fine.

Much of the judgement of a kit is dependent upon what we expect from it. And to some degree it is a measure of our strengths as a drummer, whether or not we can play the thing.

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Gregory